Tag Archives: budget

how to travel on a budget

Going to Atlanta was the first trip I ever paid for on my own! I was so proud of myself. Here are a few tips on how to travel on a budget.

  1. Use google flights- they show you the best days to travel and when the cheapest flights are. Due to this, I went from a Wednesday to Saturday, because flying home on Sunday was really expensive.
    1. I ended up flying Spirit, because it was the cheapest. I just took a personal bag (to go under the seat), because I wasn’t going to be gone long; pro-tip- pack light! even if you check a bag, anything over 50 pounds will cost extra!
  3. I stayed in an Airbnb, which I really liked. Below I have a video of the place I stayed at. It was nice, and since I was able to split the price (I didn’t stay alone), I didn’t spend a lot. pro-tip; make sure that you select entire apartment or entire house, or else you will be staying in someone’s home with them! 
  4. Use uber. I made the mistake of taking a cab to the airbnb, from the airport which cost me $55! For the rest of the trip, I used uber, and spent less than that. pro-tip- use uberpool! It’s an option to carpool in an uber with other people who are headed in a similar direction than you. It’s a lot cheaper and doesn’t take much longer. From my experience, it worked out fine, since I wasn’t in a rush.
  5. Bring/buy snacks. Buying food for breakfast and snacks, will save you a lot of money and time. For me, I don’t normally eat a very large breakfast so it worked out perfectly!
  6. Pack all the products you’ll need! You want to make sure that you have all of what you need, so you won’t have to buy expensive products at the airport. pro-tip- pack candy and gum for the plane ride, so you don’t have to pay high prices at the airport

I hope these tips are helpful! Happy traveling!

the art of gifting

Let’s all be real- everyone is on a budget. Or at least you should be. Shopping is fun but it’s even more fun when you know you got a really good deal! As a shopper, I know that I love to buy stuff. I think my favorite part of the holidays is giving though. I just love when I buy someone a gift and they love it (it makes me feel like I succeeded at getting them a good gift). Below I will go into detail about some good gifts that are great on a budget and some tips for getting the most for your money! (just as a warning these are gift that I like, so these might not be right for everyone but I know that if I got it I would love it!)

Tips!

  • Online shop first
    • Online shopping is fun but I prefer to go to the store. Before going shopping you should do some online shopping (as research), it will allow you to see which items you really like. Also online shopping has the low to high price feature which lets you know that these items are more budget friendly!
  • Create a budget
    • Make sure that before you know exactly how much you want to spend. This will allow you to go into stores knowing your budget
  • Stick to your budget
    • I would say a good rule is if your item is 10% or more over budget, you need to evaluate if this is really the right gift for you. Some gifts will be worth it, but at least you will think about it
  • Create a theme
    • having a theme for your gift is important especially if it’s a lot of small items. You want to make sure the person knew that you were thinking when you picked this out, not just throwing random stuff together.
  • Be flexible
    • It’s the holiday season. The store might not have exactly what you are looking for, but they might have something just as good. Just know that it is not the end of the world if you get the navy tie instead of the pastel blue.
  • Imagination is key
    • Marc gave me the idea that if I’m looking for a card for someone, have an imagine in my mind of what I want. Think about the color and message you’re looking for. This tip has saved me so much time (and heartache!)

Gift ideas!

  • Bath and Body Works
    • Bath and Body works is the perfect stop for gifts! You can get three minis (which can be a mix of lotions, body gels and sprays) for $12 I believe.
    • They also have gift kits, but you can mix and match items to make your own (plus they give out gift wrap or will wrap it for you)
    • The combination of rose salve, a pair of fuzzy socks and a mini super hand lotion is about $20. Remember! You can customize your items to get whatever price you want!
  • Build a Bear workshop
    • build a bear sells tiny teddy bears for about $6. Their normal sized bears start at $12! Also they sell asthma and allergy friendly bears so if your giftee (lol the person getting the gift) suffers from asthma or allergies they’re set!
    • The combination of a bear and balloons is very popular for birthday, Valentine’s day, etc. Just remember that dollar stores sell balloons and they last!
  • Forever 21
    • This is one of my favorite stores because they always have little stuff!
      • On their website they have this link called Gift Shop and they even have a list of stocking stuffers started at $1!
    • Forever 21 sells fuzzy socks for about $4, which is about half the price of the ones at Bath and Body Works. Plus they’re in a two pack!
    • Last week I went to forever 21 and in their basics section that had this really cute white long-sleeved crop top. It was super stylish and super comfortable! Plus is was only $6!
    • The jewelry here is also really cute! It’s all fake but it’s great for just a night out!

I hope that this has given you some suggestions on what to gift! Also remember that the thought that went into the gift is more important than the cost!

happy-holidays